Olive Press Gibraltar Issue 226

Taking Pride BORDER PLEDGE

THE ongoing negotiations to secure a post-Brexit border deal for Gibraltar are likely to resume in July once the UK’s general election is settled.

A change of government in the UK is expected to throw a spanner in the works as a new team of foreign office ministers will have to get their feet under the table in Whitehall.

However, the mayor of La Linea, Juan Franco, said he had been ‘reassured’ that negotiations will be unaffected by a new British government in a meeting with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo.

“The technical negotiating team of the British delegation is the same as it was when they began and will not change because of the elections,” Franco said.

He went on to praise the ‘goodwill and understanding on all sides’ while adding ‘a treaty agreement is closer than might be apparent.’

The mayor acknowledged that the sticking points of the airport and the differing tax regimes between Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar remain, however.

“Although we are still discussing the same issues, I saw progress and that there is understanding between the parties and what remains is to outline the solutions.”

Picardo also conceded that as the negotiations nearer a deal they get trickier and he does not foresee a deal before the end of the summer.

GIBRALTAR’S Pride event took place in Casamates Square on Saturday with an all day long party that went on well into the night.

The event, which featured song and dance performances, started at 10am and saw the participation of hundreds of people from both the LGBTQ+ community and their allies.

This year’s Pride theme was ‘Unity in Diversity’ and an interactive Diversity Pride Wall helped to promote the theme. Attendees were invited to write a message in support of Pride or the LGBTQ+ community and place it on the heart featured on the wall.

The wall will be set up at John Mackintosh Hall for the remainder of PRIDE month.

ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY

AN eccentric expat millionaire is offering a €100,000 reward to anyone who can help him recover a legendary guitar that vanished during an acrimonious divorce.

The 1966 Fender Precision Bass became part of the annals of rock’n’roll fame when the frontman of 70s glam-rock band, T-Rex, acquired it for their band.

Singer Marc Bolan bought it for bassist Steve Currie from the famous Denmark Street guitar shop in London, in 1969. It went on to blast out some of the most iconic riffs of the era, from Ride a White Swan and Children of the Revolution all the way up to I Love to Boogie - one year before Bolan’s untimely death in a car crash in 1977. He was just two weeks shy of his 30th birthday.

Now the iconic slab of rock-star memorabilia, valued at up to €250,000, finds itself at the heart of

By Walter Finch

a whistlestop marriage that ended almost as soon as it began.

Its last known location is thought to be a storage warehouse on the Costa del Sol.

The guitar disappeared from the secret storeroom of music industry impresario Jeremy Hartnell, 61, who made his fortune running scrap yards in the 1980s.

He claims his estranged - and much younger - wife removed the tracking device he had planted on it and took it from his Estepona villa in 2021. The only clue to its whereabouts is a bank statement that shows a payment to a storage warehouse in nearby Marbella on April 27, 2021.

The rare guitar - of which only 25 were made - came into his possession in 2008 when he managed to buy it from the late T-Rex percussionist Mickey Finn.

Expat puts up giant €100,000 reward to find missing guitar once played by T-Rex legend Marc Bolan

incredible instrument with so much history,” explained Jeremy, who also owns a Bentley and an Aston Martin. “I’m desperate to get it back.”

He also claimed it’s not the only item taken by his ex-wife, with a €15,000 Rolex and a diamond ring valued at €3,500 still missing. His efforts to recover the guitar have been hampered by the fact that po lice and even his own insurance com pany consider it a ‘domestic issue’. Meanwhile, his former Canadian bride wrote to him insisting ‘a wife cannot steal from her husband’. However, she told a divorce court in the Cayman Islands this month that she ‘did not have the guitar’, leaving its current whereabouts a mystery. Jeremy was 52-years-old when he first laid eyes on the then 31-year-old in England in 2016.

“The first day I met her I went straight to the jeweller and got

But the red flags were fluttering brightly from the get-go,

“I paid for this great big wedding, but out of 86 guests she didn’t have a single friend,” he commented. Then I realised - this girl can’t actually maintain a friendship.”

although she’s gonna tell you she met me on a site called

The couple got married in the Caymans the same year and afterwards jetted across the Atlantic to move into Jeremy’s sprawling villa near

The marriage started to get ‘really weird’ inside just a few months, according to Jeremy, after his bride filled their matrimonial bedroom with ‘wild cottontail bunny rabbits.’ Unable to stand the mess and smell, Jeremy moved into the spare bedroom. They soon spiralled into an acrimonious separation. And then things started to go really south. Torturous divorce proceedings were initiated in 2019 - still ongoing - while Brexit concerns prompted Jeremy to return to live in the Cayman Islands.

Crucially, for the millionaire founder of Cockney Records, Jeremy was canny enough to insist upon ‘a prenup’ before he tied the knot.

It means she has no legal entitlement to any of his possessions prior to their wedding - up to and including Bolan’s guitar. But it has not helped him recover the guitar thus far, prompting the announcement of the €100,000 reward.

If you can help please email newsdesk@theolivepress.es

EXCLUSIVE

FENDER: T. Rex bassist Steve Curry playing the missing guitar back in 1974

HEARTBROKEN: Hartnell is desperate to get his guitar back

Club king cuffed

THE owner of the exclusive Opium nightclub in Madrid has been arrested for paying attractive young women off the books in a bid to attract male partygoers.

Triple tragedy

SAN Juan celebrations turn deadly in Spain last Sunday after a man and a woman were shot dead in Girona and a man had his throat cut in Barcelona.

Brit slayed

A BRITISH tourist, 30, has been stabbed to death outside the Oxygen nightclub in Calella, Catalunya, following a 5am row with fellow partygoers.

Head in a bag

POLICE in Madrid have discovered a human head dumped in scrubland. The grisly discovery is believed to be linked to a couple who were found dead inside their home in Soto del Real a week prior.

TUPPERWARE TARANTULAS

A TRAVELLER was stopped flying from Madrid to Sevilla when police found his luggage included 15 tarantulas in Tupperware cases.

The Guardia Civil are investigating the man for illegally selling the hairy spiders, an endangered species.

Officers found 15 plastic containers, each one containing a tarantula. They then launched an investigation into ille-

gal trading of animals.

Ten days later, police uncovered what they believe to be an exotic animal distribution centre in Torrijos, near Toledo, which allegedly supplied the creatures without proper documentation.

Orange footed tarantulas can be bought for €80, while the mexican red footed tarantulas normally cost €45.

Serial killer

A SERIAL killer who murdered four people including a British and a German man is the chief suspect in the killing of a Spanish woman.

The body of 42-year-old Ester Estepa - missing since last August - has been discovered in Gandia, with Jose Jurado Montilla being probed over her murder.

Estepa was hidden under thick reeds in a cave with clothes and documentation found on her remains.

It's been revealed that her

Body could be latest victim of serial killer jailed in 1987 for 4 murders

By Alex Trelinski

skull was found on a verge between the N-332 and the Gandia beach road by hikers in February.

DNA analysis on the skull confirmed that it is the remains of Estepa, with a judge

GIBRALTAR customs officers have arrested a man entering the territory with 53 grammes of cocaine.

Officers from the Flexible Anti-Smuggling Team (FAST) flagged down a black moped after receiving a tip-off.

Upon being questioned, the man admitted to carrying drugs and surrendered a package containing a white powder, later confirmed to

authorising the Policia Nacional to start an extensive search for the rest of her body, which was recently found.

Estepa - from Sevilla - had a photo taken two days before she vanished featuring Jose Jurado Montilla and another man.

Jurado Montilla, or Dinami-

Dealer busted

be cocaine, weighing approximately 53.5 grammes.

The street value of the seized drugs amounts to about £3,180 (€3,657).

After processing at New Mole House Police Station, the suspect was released on police bail pending further investigation.

ta Montilla, as he calls himself on TikTok, was sentenced to 123 years behind bars after being convicted of four murders in Malaga province between 1985 and 1987. Victims included the British and German

tourists who were shot dead while camping in El Chorro. Despite his lengthy sentence, 30 years was the maximum time he could spend in prison for murder and he was let out two years early in December 2013. He is currently in custody after being arrested in May over the killing of a 21-year-old student in the Malaga area, who was shot in the head in August 2022. It's been reported that Montilla, 62, sent text messages pretending to be Estepa using her mobile phone, which has not been found.

The pretense included telling her mother she was going to Barcelona to catch a flight and was going to live in Argentina with some friends.

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Inquiry returns

THE McGrail Inquiry has returned after a six week hiatus for closing submissions from each of the main players. The inquiry was set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the forced retirement of former Commissioner of Police Ian McGrail in June 2020. The chair Sir Peter Openshaw explained that the two-day submissions were a chance for each legal team not just to make their case to him once again, but also to the public.

Challenged

“The public needs to see and hear for themselves that the issues relevant to Mr McGrail’s retirement have been identified and thoroughly examined and where necessary the various witnesses' accounts are challenged,” Openshaw said.

The retired judge heard from KCs acting for the Royal Gibraltar Police, retired Superintendent Paul Richardson, the Gibraltar Police Association and the former Operation Delhi defendants. He will now hear Adam Wanger restate the case for McGrail, while Sir Peter Caruana will attempt to reinforce the case for the government.

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ROYAL DECADE

KING Felipe VI has celebrated the 10th anniversary of becoming Spain’s head of state. He appeared on the balcony of the Plaza de la Armeria alongside Queen Letizia and their daughters Leonor and Sofia to greet a crowd of around 2,000 people.

The monarch then presided over lunch at

the Royal Palace whose guests included 19 citizens representing the country’s regions and the North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

All of them had been previously awarded the Order of Civil Merit for their contribution to society.

The king took the reins 17 days after his father, Juan Carlos I, abdicated over a wave of scandals.

Getting its spurs

Amazing new sports venue launches with half a dozen Premier League stars, fire dancers and champagne

A TRIO of former Spurs legends teamed up for the launch of the hottest new sports venue in Marbella. David Bentley and Stephen Carr were joined by former teammate Harry Winks at the official opening of The Clubhouse , in Puerto Banus.

The hatrick of aces - who spent many seasons at the North London club - were on hand to ensure the party really got started.

The trio - all investors in the Sala Group which is behind the venue - brought their wives to the packed event.

By Jon Clarke

Harry Winks, 28, told the Olive Press how it was 'great to be back' in Marbella.

Visiting with his criminologist girlfriend, the star who just helped Leicester get promoted back to the Premier League, loved the new venue which sits below the main La Sala restaurant.

"It's great to be back. I love Marbella and this place is going to be amazing,” he said.

"I'm only a really small inLeicester after a short spell with Sampdoria in Italy.

vestor but I'm sure it will pay back."

The former Spurs midfielder joined

THE current and former kings of clay will unite this summer to represent Spain in the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics.

Carlos Alcaraz, 21, will team up with 38-yearold veteran Rafael Nadal to compete as a highly-anticipated dream pairing at Roland Garros, a court where the duo have won a combined 15 French Open titles following Alcaraz’s stunning triumph.

Spain’s national team coach, David Ferrer, said: “One pair, which I think everyone knows and was hoping for, is Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. Rafa and Carlos will be playing together in Paris”.

Also at the launch, which saw over 600 guests, was long-time expat Bentley back in Marbella.

He also returned last summer for the launch of sister restaurant The Oak "That was a really fun night and this will be even bigger," he told the Olive Press. "It's the first really decent sports venue of its type in Marbella. "It's great to be here and still involved."

Another Spurs player, Dean Austin, was on hand for the night, while Paul Robinson

DREAM PAIR

HE’S BACK

PAUL McCartney is set to return to Spain to play two concerts in Madrid next December.

The legendary Beatle will perform on December 9 and December 10 at the WiZink Centre as part of his globe-spanning ‘Got Back Tour 2024’. Anticipation was stoked by both the promoter and the venue teasing fans on social media with a poster that featured Mc-

and Chris Hugues were also enjoying the night.

Popular TV pundit Alex Scott was also in the mix. Partygoers were treated to Laurent Perrier champagne, delicious tapas and pizzas from the authentic Neapolitan pizza oven.

A number of live bands, including Wall Street Band and Diva Fever , played alongside awe-inspiring fire dancers.

The luxurious 900 m² space has a multi-million investment and boasts cutting-edge top-of-the-range Trackman golf simulators, advanced Dartsee dartboards, and over 50 TVs equipped with Zapping technology.

It has introduced a pioneering self-serve Mahou beer system, allowing guests to refill their glasses at their tables. There is complementary valet parking.

Cartney phoning Madrid, hinting at the upcoming shows. The pair of shows will mark eight years since McCartney’s last concert in Spain, when he lit up the Estadio Vicente Calderón Stadium in Madrid. The 82-year-old will kick off the tour in Uruguay on October 1, and land in Spain via Argentina, Chile, Peru and France, before returning to his native UK for four more gigs.

Just grand

CYCLING’S most prestigious race will start in Spain for the first time.

The 2026 edition of the Tour de France will begin on the streets of Barcelona.

Catalunya will play host to the Tour’s first three stages from July 4 to July 6 as the world’s best cyclists vie to claim the famous yellow jersey.

Barcelona has hosted a Tour stage before, with the most recent one coming in 2009, but it is the first time the city has hosted the opening stage, known as the Grand Depart.

THE STARS COME OUT: Harry Winks with a fan and David Bentley (right)

SWANKY: The Clubhouse’s opening night featured fire dancers and live music

GIBRALTAR athletes got off to a flying start on a full day of track and field events as the Championships of the Small States of Europe came to town.

Featuring a series of minnows including Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Kosovo and Vatican City, it is a sporting organisation dedicated to giving the little guys a chance.

This was the fifth edition of the biennial sporting event.

Gibraltar took the first medals of the day as local athletes destroyed the competition in the 8am Mountain Rock Race.

Gibraltarian Kelvin Gomez took gold, followed by his compatriots Andrew Gordon and Arnold Rogers.

Another Gibraltarian, Kim Baglietto, came first in the women's category.

The Minister for Sport, the Hon Leslie Bruzon hosted a reception at the Lathbury Sports Complex during the occasion.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Bug bus

FABIAN Picardo took his children aboard the Royal Navy’s nuclear hunter-killer submarine HMS Triumph after it arrived in Gibraltar on Friday.

The venerable Trafalgar-class vessel docked at the naval base in order to stock up on supplies.

The Chief Minister’s children were treated to a round of chicken and chips and a personal tour of the Cold War-era sub from the ship’s captain.

Torpedo tour

Equipped with cruise missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, HMS Triumph can stay at sea unsupported for up to three months.

It also holds the record for the longest solo deployment ever completed by a Royal Navy submarine, travelling 41,000 miles unsupported to Australia in 1993.

NO INVITATION, NO ENTRY!

BRITISH tourists are warning fellow travellers of alarming new checks at the Spanish border.

The Olive Press has learnt of two recent cases where visitors were refused entry for failing to show a so-called 'letter of invitation'.

The document is for holidaymakers staying at a property

THE Gibraltar bus company has launched measures to fight a plague of cockroaches after passengers reported seeing the critters during their commute.

Traps are now installed on many buses to ‘monitor’ and ‘prevent’ the problem, ac-

By Laurence Dollimore

belonging to family or friends. It must be arranged by the host at a police station via a form and with a fee of between €70 and €80.

Once the document is stamped, the guests must carry it with them to show at the border.

cording to a Government spokesperson. They have identified the bugs as German cockroaches. Though fumigated, the bus company has taken three out of the four affected vehicles out of circulation while they solve the problem. The government confirmed that none currently in service have infestations.

British tourists turned away from Spanish border

While unlikely the Guardia Civil will actually ask for the letter, it has happened to at least two families over the past month, we can reveal.

Villa owner Peter Griffiths warned that his friends had been refused entry to Spain from Gibraltar, until he got them an official booking on Airbnb.

“We came into Spain via Gibraltar and they were checking documents for proof of ownership, and return flight,” he said.

“Our friends with us were refused entry initially as they didn't have the official letter of invitation. But we got them in by booking a stay on Airbnb in one of our casitas."

He added others had also been refused entry and that it was a

‘really painful process’.

Meanwhile, in Mallorca, one British couple claimed they were refused entry for failing to show the letter to their OWN property.

The pair had been enjoying a cruise that ended in Barcelona.

However, as they own a property in Mallorca, they requested to disembark early to 'enjoy a couple of weeks at our home.'

They explained: “We submitted our passports as requested three days prior to arriving in Palma. But on the day we were due to leave the ship we were told we could not disembark.

“We were told we needed a letter of invitation, a booked return flight and proof of funds.

"We explained we would stay in our home but that was not accepted.”

GIBRALTAR has been marked as ‘largely compliant’ in its progress at tackling money laundering and terrorist financing. The award comes from the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL), which upgraded it from ‘partially compliant’. The latest report indicates that Gibraltar has mostly managed to meet the international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Currently, out of 40 FATF recommendations, Gibraltar has achieved a 'compliant' rating for 23 and 'largely compliant' for 17.

The territory has been lauded for its improving its international cooperation, which fell under Recommendation 36. MONEYVAL assesses compliance with the main international standards.

Healthy report New chairman

THE Gibraltar Police Authority will have a new chairman on August 1. Peter Montegriffo has been appointed by the Governor for an initial term of three years. The lawyer and politician will replace Dr Joey Britto in independently monitoring the work of the RGP.

is

Budding Banksian Martial law

A GIBRALTAR gardener has been awarded the Rock’s first ever Banksian Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Andrew Abrines was recognised for his ‘outstanding efforts’ in both growing plants and sharing his love for them with the local community.

He has provided much support to schools and has enthused adults on tours of the Alameda Gardens.

According to the Environmental Minister, John Cortes, his ‘dear friend’ has always acted ‘out of passion and love.’

More to come

Sensational ‘criminally relevant’ allegations against Manchester City promised by football leaks hacker at top Costa del Sol conference

A FOOTBALL leaks hacker who revealed alleged wrongdoing by Premier League champions Manchester City has sensationally announced he will release more damning evidence against the club. Rui Pinto told the Offshore Alert Marbella conference in

THE biggest rock band from the rock, Melon Diesel, played a homecoming gig last Friday to a packed house. It was the band’s biggest performance in over 20 years.

The concert marked the 25th anniversary of their album ‘La Cuesta de Mister Bond’.

A platinum album, it has sold over 180,000 copies and will be re-issued later this year.

Homecoming

By Walter Finch

Estepona’s five-star Kempinksi resort he had ‘a massive file of Manchester City-related documents’ which he has been holding in reserve.

The 35-year-old was speaking to the conference, attended by the Olive Press, via video link from a secure safehouse after threats were made against his life.

His initial leak in 2017 prompted football authorities to open an investigation into the Abu Dhabi-owned club for breaking Financial Fair Play rules. It led to the club being hit with a staggering 115 separate charges by the Premier League.

A titanic hearing set for the autumn could shake English football to its very core, with the club facing the possibility of relegation to the lower reaches of English football. Officials from the UAE have even told their British counterparts that such an outcome could affect diplomatic relations.

But the evidence against the Manchester club could be piling up.

INVESTIGATION:

Witness claims his evidence ‘will change English football’

“The Man City releases showed amounts of money being paid into by the club that were not mentioned to the football authorities,” Pinto told the Offshore Alert Marbella conference.

“These documents are from part of the Premier League investigation into City.

“I have now handed five hard drives to French and German authorities with millions of documents, including more on City and I have described what is on each.

“I am confident they will find criminal relevancy.”

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A legal representative for Pinto added that the further unreleased files he is holding ‘will be published at some point’.

David Marchant, the organ-

Olive Press is excited to announce a partnership with AnyTech365, the leading IT security and support company on the Costa del Sol. This collaboration offers Olive Press readers enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. Subscribers will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 services, ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use of any Internet-connected device, personal, or within the household or their small business.

User Experience

Introducing an exclusive partnership between Olive Press and AnyTech365 AI-Powered IT Security

Introducing an exclusive partnership Olive Press and AnyTech365

THE Olive Press is excited to announce a partnership with AnyTech365, the leading IT security and support company in southern Spain.

This collaboration offers readers enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions at special discounted rates.

excited to announce a partnership with the leading IT security and support company del Sol. This collaboration offers Olive Press enhanced tech support and cybersecurity solutions. will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use Internet-connected device, personal, or within the their small business.

Subscribers will receive exclusive discounts on AnyTech365 services, ensuring their digital safety and worry-free use of any Internet-connected device, both personal and within the household or their small business.

Over the next year the team at the Málaga-based firm will be producing a monthly advice column on the healthiest ways to protect your technology - and how to avoid online fraud, viruses and scams.

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tournament, including the ATP 250 tournament in 2021, the biggest sporting event in the region. Meanwhile, it has excellent online reputation scores with tens of thousands of end user reviews on both Trustpilot (4.8/5) and Google Reviews (4.9/5).

iser of Offshore Alert Marbella, told the Olive Press: “Rui Pinto is undoubtedly the most significant whistleblower in the history of football.

Truth

A ROYAL Gibraltar Police officer has triumphed at the Team Police Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Glasgow.

PC William Danino secured both a gold and silver medal at the tournament.

Some 219 police officers from across the UK competed at Jackton Police Training College.

He was representing Gibraltar’s Angry Chill Jiu-Jitsu Club, participating in four fights.

The 25-year-old won three by submission and lost one.

He said: “It was a very rewarding feeling to win a gold and silver medal, especially after my coaches and teammates put in a lot of work to help me get ready for the competition.”

Military parade

Comprehensive

“His work has already had a dramatic impact in terms of holding players and clubs accountable for their behindclosed-doors actions and it's evident from his revelations at OffshoreAlert's recent Marbella Conference that there's more to come, most notably concerning Manchester City.

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GIBRALTAR is set to mark Armed Forces Day this Saturday, June 29. A parade will take place in Grand Casemates Square at 10.15am, with members of British Forces Gibraltar marching to John Mackintosh Square and on to Number 6. The now-annual event, held on the last Saturday in June, is intended to showcase the special relationship between Gibraltar and the British Armed Forces.

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Voted

A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in

OPINION

What a farce!

THE so-called ‘letter of invitation’ that British tourists ‘must’ show if staying with family and friends in Spain is nothing short of a farce ( No invitation, no entry! page 4).

According to Spanish law, any third national - which since Brexit, includes Brits - must be ready to show proof of accommodation when crossing the Spanish border.

If you are staying with friends or family, the host must provide you with a ‘carta de invitacion’, or letter of invitation - which in typical Spanish form, is a bureaucratic nightmare to arrange.

The host must go to their nearest police station in Spain with documents proving they are the owner of their home and apply for said letter.

This involves filling out god knows how many forms and - of course - paying a fee of around €80.

The rule is a classic case of ‘jobs for the boys’ and smacks of a plot to bring in some extra cash for local town halls.

Let’s be honest, the British own more property in Spain than any other foreigner and have propped up the housing market for decades.

Now, literally tens of thousands of British homeowners have to get permission to let their closest loved ones stay with themwhat a kick in the teeth!

Of course, it is VERY unlikely that you will be asked to show the letter of invitation, but the fact that it IS happening to some people is unlikely to put any visitor at ease.

Now hundreds of thousands of Brits are being lumped with this extra worry when travelling to visit family members.

And what about British homeowners who are letting relatives use their Spanish villa while they are out of the country? They literally cannot visit their local police station to apply for the letter.

The whole process is the kind of pathetic red tape overreach that made many people vote for Brexit in the first place!

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Jon Clarke, jon@theolivepress.es

Dilip Kuner dilip@theolivepress.es

Walter Finch walter@theolivepress.es

Yzabelle Bostyn yzabelle@theolivepress.es

IBIZA is known as the priciest party island in Spain and is a magnet for A-list celebs.

So when I arrived at the resort of San Antonio last weekend, I was rather surprised at what I saw.

I had rather hoped for a few days of elevated dining, sophisticated cocktail bars and the ever-elusive ‘higher quality tourists’ - a phrase used by Spanish industry leaders which can roughly be translated to ‘less British trash.’

But what I actually encountered were mediocre (at best) restaurants, multiple KFCs and Burger Kings and a string of Irish pubs and bars that wouldn’t look out of place in down market Magaluf.

In fact you’re better off heading there instead because you’ll get practically the same experience for half the price.

The landscape of Ibiza itself, of course, is beautiful, with stone-free beaches, white sand and crystal clear waters.

Unfortunately, the resort of San Antonio has been turned into a tourist’s theme park, with boozing and latenight partying the priority.

The streets at night are filled with staggering Brits and mafia-linked hawkers selling laughing gas in balloons.

This is, of course, the site of Wayne Lineker’s infamous O Beach , which brings in A-list punters like Jack Gre -

Ibiza? What a downer…

The party resort of San Antonio is not what it’s cracked up to be, discovers Laurence Dollimore

alish, Ed Sheeran and Jason Derulo. Unfortunately I didn’t see any such big names, having to settle for ex- Eastenders ‘star’ Dean Gaffney instead. Although I did bump into Lineker himself as he made his way from O Beach to one of the two nearby KFCsflanked by three beautiful young women, of course.

thing ‘kingly’ about this man is that all the locals of San Antonio hate his loud castle!’

Simon Hunter simon@theolivepress.es

Alex Trelinski alex@theolivepress.es

Ben Pawlowski ben@theolivepress.es

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After snapping a selfie I asked his Viking-looking security guard if I could have a quick chat but was, unsurprisingly, refused.

Wayne had just been punched to the ground two nights before while making his way to the nearby Eden nightclub.

The video went viral and made headlines in the UK and Spain - although it didn’t win him much sympathy locally.

In an Ibiza activist Facebook group, locals responded to a post about Wayne which described him as the ‘King of Ibiza’ with fury.

Stefano Bertagnon wrote: ‘The only

Another, Martina Greef, accused Wayne of ‘destroying the island’, while one wrote: ‘What is clear is that if this man and his businesses went elsewhere, the lives of the Ibiza people would be the same or better than under the reign of this buffoon.’ Wayne spends the whole summer season in Ibiza, between April and October, but does not stay in the heart of San Antonio - opting instead for the luxury 7Pines Resort about a 20-minute drive west.

I visited the resort myself and it is stunning. Sitting on a cliff edge, it offers incredible sea and mountain views and the service is world class. It is an example of the quality and class that can be found all over the island if you go to the right places. Either way, when I do go back to Ibiza, I know where I WON’T be visiting.

KING WAYNE: Roaming San Antonio, while (right) impressive 0 Beach

BRITISH FAVOURITE: Lineker’s bar, while (right), laughing gas sellers

SEVer popular

AS sales of electric vehicles continue to rise in Spain, there is a wide selection available.

PAIN has pledged to make the entire country carbon neutral by 2050, and for this to happen cars are going to have to get greener.

Its automotive plan focuses on the environmentally friendly electric and hybrid car industry and aims to make the technology cheaper, and easier to use and access across the country.

Special incentives have been rolled out over the coming years to encourage the ownership of environmentally friendly vehicles, both private and commercial.

The Spanish government's €800 million fund for electric car subsidies ended in December 2023, but a new program, Moves III, has been launched.

Tesla still tops the charts but cheaper options from Dacia and Kia are also in the top 10 list. Meanwhile, the Spanish-made Hispano Suiza Carmen supercar (top) is available for a cool €2 million.

By Dilip Kuner

your local authorities for specific details and application processes. Private buyers can claim up to

Chery picked

CHINESE cars will soon be rolling off the Barcelona production line of Ebro EV-Motors after they struck a deal with manufacturer Chery Automobile.

Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, presided over an official signing ceremony at the Zona Franca plant with Chery's Omoda brand being produced there in the next few months.

Chery is China's biggest car exporter with its Omoda 5 model being available in both petrol and electric versions.

The deal makes it the first Chinese volume car manufacturer in Europe and it will set up dealerships across the continent.

The Zona Franca plant was used by Nissan until their operation closed in 2021 and former employees will be hired as part of the new workforce.

and charging equipment, capped at €3,000 for the car and €600 for the charger.

These incentives follow a government pledge to promote battery production in Spain and push the manufacture of electric vehicles in the country.

Volkswagen Group’s SEAT subsidiary plans to team up with power company Iberdrola to build Spain’s first battery factory for EVs

€7,000, with companies buying fleets to use as taxis eligible for more. Vans can attract subsidies of up to €9,000. Introduced in June 2023, a new tax incentive allows a 15% deduction on the purchase price of electric vehicles

Volkswagen has previously announced its intention to build six EV battery plants across Europe, with three earmarked for the Spain/Portugal/southern France area.

In total, the government is granting €3.75 billion towards making electric and hybrid cars cheaper than petrol and diesel to buy by 2027.

HAPPY: Pedro Sanchez breaking the news

Motorists beware

SPAIN'S Traffic Authority, the DGT, has warned motorists that fake text messages are being sent out to trick them into paying fines. The bogus texts are demanding the payment of made-up penalties for offences that never happened.

The technique, known as ‘phishing’ tries to get unsuspecting victims to pass on their bank details or other private information.

The DGT has published screenshots of the fraudulent SMS texts alerting users that have ‘24 hours to pay their fine’.

They also include a link that the phone holder has to click on to pay the penalty and within it they fill in private details which are then hacked by cybercriminals.

The DGT said via social media: "All false, as they only want to capture the victim's bank details.”

“Remember that the DGT only sends notifications of penalties via the post or electronic addresses."

OBSTACLE COURSE

Jo Chipchase explains how it is more a case of ‘drive to survive’ than ‘driving over lemons’ here in southern

Spain

YOU know the look: The tourist as he gets off the plane at Malaga or Alicante airport wearing an expression of fear and loathing when faced with his or her newfound motoring challenge. And yes, driving in Andalucia is not for the faint-hearted. Newcomers who are accustomed to the relative civility of British, or say Scandinavian, roads suddenly find chaotic roundabouts where nobody gives way, blind bends where other vehicles hurtle towards you at speed, and pedestrians armed with shopping bags diving in front of your car. Meanwhile in the rural inland areas, you find rough dirt tracks that spiral up mountains with sheer drops to the side, donkeys and mountain bikers frequently blocking at least half the road and ‘motos’ hurtle around madly, throwing caution (and maybe even beer bottles) to the wind. In this region, it is a case of every man (or mule) for him- self. Meanwhile, a journey to a larg

or city, such as Granada or Malaga, brings its own hazards.

‘Lane discipline’ is a pipe dream where busy junctions are concerned. Just like the Sunday roast, you can easily be carved up or mashed, as well as shaken and stirred.

Then there’s the problem of other road users, some of whom clearly don’t have the skills to hold a ‘permiso de conducir’ (driving license).

How some motorists ever manage to reach their destination is an important question. Says Granada-based car reseller, Bernard Drivefast: “First challenge: staying on the road alive.” Quite.

So, let’s look at the various motoring challenges in more detail, with some help from various local social media forums.

Boy racers and blind bends

Here in the heart of macho-land, we have the cult of the boy racer. He care about

SUMMER FINE SADNESS

DRIVING with flip-flops, barefoot or without a t-shirt behind the steering wheel could land drivers with fines, warns Spain’s Department of Traffic (DGT).

According to the DGT, during the summer season, safety at the wheel is relaxed and clothing or footwear not suitable for driving are often used, putting drivers at risk of breaking the law and consequently slapped with a hefty fine.

Motoring experts say that driving with flipflops or without a t-shirt is not expressly forbidden, but whether we are fined depends on how the regulations are interpreted.

THESE ARE THE MOST TYPICAL SUMMER FINES:

̡ Driving barefoot, or wearing flipflops: €200. According to DGT, driving without appropriate clothing or footwear can hinder the driver’s capacity to control the vehicle.

̡ Driving without a shirt: €100. Article 3 of the General Traffic Regulations stipulates that: “one must drive with the necessary diligence and caution to avoid any harm to oneself or others, taking care not to endanger the driver, the other occupants of the vehicle or other road users”. Based on this rule, driving

shirtless is grounds for a fine since, in the event of an accident, the activation of the seat belts could cause serious injuries to the driver.

̡ Driving with one hand or arm outside of the vehicle: €100. Although it is forbidden to put your hand out of the window, it is not forbidden to have your arm resting on the window. Article 18 of the General Traffic Law states that the driver and passengers must maintain a sensible position inside the vehicle.

̡ Drive with a hat / cap that covers the ears: €100.

̡ Eating ice cream while driving: €100€200 and two points off your license.

̡ Copilot with feet on the dashboard: €100.

̡ Throw a cigarette out the window: €200 and four points off your license.

THE DGT RECENTLY TWEETED A REMINDER:

The question of the summer is back. To drive or not to drive in flip-flops? There are no specific rules about it, but if it is seen to affect safety (e.g. pedal operation) it may be punishable. Advice: Use common sense and wear comfortable and safe footwear.

health and safety or, indeed, his own lifespan – he just wants to eliminate as many nanoseconds from his journey as possible. Putting the pedal to the metal, these drivers race round mountain passes, using your side of the road to cut the corner and frequently nearly colliding head-on. Sometimes, they do collide and the ‘grua’ can be seen removing the tangled cars from the road.

Talking of blind bends have you ever met an ALSA bus or articulated lorry swinging out towards your car on one?

Too fast, too slow

As well as people going too fast, some are driving too slow. The slow sloths can pose a problem on mountain tracks, where they pootle along in an old car with a trailer attached - often with hunting dogs in it - trapping

Bikers beware

BRITISH bikers arriving in Spain are about to be given a lesson in how to drive on Spanish roads.

A whopping 20,000 motorcyclists are expected to arrive by ferry from the UK in the port of Cantabria this year - up 10% from 2023.

And authorities in Santander are taking steps to ensure their safety on the region's scenic but sometimes challenging roads.

The biker clubs will be handed glossy brochures detailing Spanish traffic regulations - including speed limits, drink and drug driving laws, helmet use, and safe riding practices.

Over 1,000 brochures are being distributed to arriving twowheeled Brits with the help of Brittany Ferries.

Jose Miguel Tolosa, the provincial traffic chief, emphasised the vulnerability of motorcyclists and pointed out how Cantabria’s winding roads often see a

you behind and not pulling into any passing places. If you have a plane to catch, it’s high time for a selection of rude gesticulations and your horn. Slow drivers can also be encountered on town roads. After a few breakfast-time ‘sol y sombras’ in their favourite bar, you’ll see them driving with exaggerated care or progressing in a direction that isn’t quite straight. Hire car drivers can, at times, also be seen slowing down and looking confused at road signs, which point towards a certain town or tourist attraction and then die out just before the visitor gets there and most needs help.

Reversing trials and tribulations

Going forwards on steep rural roads is one thing: reversing is quite another. Says long-time Granada expat, Trudie Taloolor: “Some Spanish drivers cannot reverse. It takes them forever to wind first, left, then right from bank to steep edge or hidden ditch, slowly, slowly back. It’s almost worth putting your own car in reverse and backing double the distance in half the time.” We’ve also probably all encountered motorists who flatly refuse to reverse, even if they are driving a smart car and you’re in a large van. Yes, rather than entering the dreaded reverse gear, they will make their ‘adversary’ perform a precarious reverse towards the unknown, such as a sheer drop. Isn’t the reverse manoeuvre an integral part of the driving test? Similarly, these people cannot successfully reverse park and tend to bash into the vehicles in front and behind.

ADVICE: Guardia chatting to bikers

higher number of accidents.

Last year, there were seven motorcyclist fatalities on Cantabria's roads, including one British national.

The new awareness campaign comes in response to the growing number of bikers who disembark by ferry in Santander.

Highway authorities have been concerned by recent statistics from the region, where 1,333 motorcycle accidents occurred between 2018 and 2023. They resulted in 19 fatalities and 187 serious injuries and recent years have seen a significant increase in incidents, with annual figures tripling compared to 2019, 2020, and 2021.

CHILL: Keep your temper and relax if you want an easier time behind the wheel

MOTORS

Lost in the metropolis?

Maybe it’s time to head to the big city? En route, the motorway holds various menances.

Town centre obstacle course

Bad parking is also a big problem in town centres, with some motorists leaving their cars on tight corners, meaning that larger vehicles struggle to get around.

One annoyance is nutty tailgaters who drive close to your rear, looming like the devil, even if you cannot safely let them past. Then there are drivers who have all the time in the world to complete their journey, and believe that everyone else does too.

Driving in Andalucia’s cities brings its own challenges. Lane discipline is an abandoned concept, with motorists neither giving way at busy roundabouts, sticking to their own lane nor bothering to use their indicators. Try driving a re-matriculated righthand-drive vehicle with a blind spot in central Sevilla – what fun you will have.

And joy of joys, then you have the roundabout conundrum. You know the way that Spanish drivers used to be taught to go left from the outside lane, therefore cutting up anyone driving fast in the fast lane. Half the time without an indicator.

Some motorists like to park their car opposite the town ‘fuente’, where they proceed to fill two dozen large bottles with spring water to take home. Meanwhile, everyone else sits waiting for them to finish before they can squeeze past.

Bollards and iron posts are also a problem.

Town halls love to install these to control where cars can park. Usually, these obstacles will be positioned directly in your blind spot, vastly increasing the chance of smashing a tail light or mangling a side panel. Some towns have special cannon-ball type structures to prevent ‘bad’ parking. Drive over one of these, and you will throw your wheel alignment out or make a hole in your suspension. Also, beware of old ladies who step out from behind parked vehicles armed with shopping trolleys. They

think they have right of way, 100% of the time. Furthermore, if they encounter any friends, they’ll stand there chatting and block the road while you sit there pulling your hair out.

Life in Andalucia certainly wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t for its driving experiences. Maybe that is why Chris Stewart entitled his famous book Driving over Lemons rather than choosing another title. Really, those lemons are just one more possible obstruction in the road.

Car factory job cuts

UP to 1,600 jobs at the Ford car manufacturing plant in Valencia are under threat after the company announced job cuts.

The grim news follows on from a previous round of 1,100 job cuts implemented last year, raising concerns about the long-term future of the facility.

The American automaker currently employs around 4,700 workers in Valencia, but is proposing to permanently eliminate 600 positions. However, a glimmer of hope exists for the remaining 1,000 affected employees.

Negotiations are underway to potentially rehire them by 2027, when production is planned to be ramped up thanks to a new hybrid car.

A Ford spokesperson said: "A temporary solution could be negotiated for the other 1,000 to bridge the gap until production of the new vehicle starts."

This suggests the possibility of temporary layoffs or furloughs for these workers.

The announcement of the new hybrid vehicle offers a potential lifeline for the Valencia plant. Ford aims to begin production in 2027 with a projected annual output of 300,000 units destined for European and international markets. This new model could translate into future job security and economic growth for the region.

The Valencia plant has undergone significant changes in recent years. Ford currently only assembles the Kuga compact SUV there, having phased out other models like the Mondeo.

DIZZY: Roundabouts are a special problem all on their own

SCRAPE: Spanish drivers can find some unusual places to park

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS

The Nazi stormtrooper and bodyguard to Hitler who joined the Israeli secret services and made his home in Spain

AT first glance the funeral in Madrid seemed like nothing out of the ordinary.

It was a warm June day in 1975 and the few dozen mourners initially lowered their heads to pay their respects as the flower-draped casket rolled gently by.

But then came the shock when, clearly on cue, the majority of attendees suddenly stretched out their right arms in a full Nazi salute.

When they began singing a series of Adolf Hitler songs, the event became intriguing in the extreme… And even more so when it later emerged that some of those in attendance were members of Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad.

This was the funeral of Madrid resident Otto Skorzeny, a former Nazi who had happily lived in the Spanish capital for decades.

As strange as it may sound to readers who have just watched the 80th anniversary of the D Day landings to liberate Europe from the Nazis, a group of former SS leaders at a funeral in Spain wasn't all that rare.

What was, is the attendance of members of a group dedicated to Israel’s security. Strange bedfellows? Counterintuitive? Illogical? You need to consider the life of Otto (1908-1975) who was born in Vienna into a family with a long and distinguished military legacy.

He certainly cut a fine figure. He was tall (nearly 2 meters), athletic (an Olympic fencing champion) with movie star good looks. Many believed Otto bore a striking similarity to the dashing Hollywood star Errol Flynn. And he had an appropriate dramatic facial scar (c/o fencing) that only added to his swashbuckling persona.

We need to go back to 1932 though when he joined the Austrian Nazi Party and swiftly moved up the ranks.

After completing numerous commando raids, Otto became one of Hitler’s favorite soldiers. So good, in fact, that he became the Fuhrer’s bodyguard and chief of all commando operations. His missions were audacious, bold and worthy of

By Jack Gaioni

an Ian Flemming / James Bond script. They included Operation Oak when in 1943 Italian partisans kidnapped Hitler’s closest ally, Benito Mussolini and imprisoned him high in the Apennine Mountains. Otto and company, using gliders made of canvas, were able to crash land near the prison, free Mussolini and safely escort him back to Berlin.

The Fuhrer was delighted! The mission even impressed Winston Churchill, who called Otto ‘the most dangerous man in Europe’. Then there was Operation Greif: Otto was assigned the task of training English-speaking German troops, dressed as American soldiers, driving captured Allied jeeps and tanks to roam behind enemy lines.

Their orders were simple: to cause great disruption by upsetting Allied communications, giving false orders and misdirecting traffic. The Fuhrer and Otto believed the mission could change the course of the critical Battle of the Bulge and for a brief period, they were correct.

Operation Long Jump: Later that same year, Otto personally devised a commando plan to assassinate the Big Three (Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt) at the Tehran Conference in Iran. Stalin however, somehow uncovered the plot and Otto was able to convince Hitler the plan was unworkable. The mission was aborted.

At the war’s conclusion and during the subsequent Nuremberg trials (Nov. 1945), Otto was imprisoned as a war criminal.

And in true derring do he es-

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caped and for two years hid out as a fugitive in France, Bavaria, and later rural Ireland.

But by 1950 he was living openly in Madrid where a sympathetic Francoist Spain welcomed Nazi refugees as asylum seekers.

By all appearances, his new life appeared normal. Married and settled and no longer living as a fugitive, he quietly set up a small import/export business.

It was not long before it became apparent that his business was a front to help numerous Nazis escape to South America.

This was especially to Argentina where Otto not only ‘advised’ Juan Peron but became a bodyguard (and some say a lover!) to Eva Peron.

He also became the founder and advisor for the Paladin Group, an organization based near Alicante which specialized in arming and training international guerilla groups.

Unsurprisingly, Otto’s actions in Egypt did not go unnoticed by Israel’s Mossad.

One evening in 1962 two Mossad agents posing as a couple befriended him in a Madrid bar.

He was initially sure they were there to kill him and later explained his enormous surprise when it turned out they wanted to hire him.

For unknown reasons Otto agreed. Sent to Jerusalem to meet with Mossad hierarchy, Otto, with his Egyptian connections, began to compile a list of German scientists and the names of front companies from Europe that were complicit in Egypt’s military projects.

By 1950 he was in Madrid where Francoist Spain welcomed Nazi refugees

During his two decades stay in Spain, he also made many trips to Egypt. There he began a program to train Arab volunteers in commando tactics for possible strikes against British troops stationed on the Suez Canal.

One of those trainees was none other than the Palestinian hero and leader, Yasser Arafat.

As a personal advisor to Egyptian President Gamel Nasser, Otto helped recruit German scientists in a missile program to be used against Israel.

He was soon ‘hands on’ involved in the kidnapping and assassination of Heinz Krug, an infamous German scientist and chief hardware supplier for the Egyptian missile program.

Otto never explained, at least publicly, how he could transition from being a Nazi commando and bodyguard to Hitler to being an agent for Israel’s secret service.

The irony is rich. Was he seeking atonement for his Nazi past? Did he fear for his life if he did otherwise? Or was he just a swashbuckling adventurer seeking his next adrenaline fix? He supposedly took the answer to his Madrid grave so we may never know.

“YOUR website is incredible… I have never seen so many inquiries!”

That’s the glowing testimonial of Marbella lawyer Diego Echavarria, who took out a sponsored article on our website last week.

His post about winning expats compensation over dodgy mortgage deals has so far been read by more than 15,000 people.

“I am receiving lots of enquiries,” a very satisfied Diego explained. “In fact I have never had so many, it’s amazing.”

And it’s no surprise given the sheer amount of traffic www.theolivepress.es is now receiving.

More than 100,000 people visited us on many recent days, cementing our position as the most popular English website in Spain.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people are registering on our website daily and we now have nearly 40,000 regis tered users, who receive special deals and promo tions each month.

Only by signing up can you take advantage of these offers, including competitions to win tickets for concerts - and ONLY by being a client can you tap into our valuable database.

While our carefully distributed papers continue to bring results (just ask long term clients like La Sala, Specsavers or the Sky Doctor) our online popularity is creating new opportunities.

But not everyone understands how to utilise them.

One company that does is the Metro Group, which regularly uses our website and database to offer a string of excellent deals at its dozen-plus restaurants.

One free meal giveaway at Bono Beach in Marbella saw an incredible 900 entrants last month. Meanwhile, a 50% discount for the opening of their new Nomad restaurant got 96 bookings, while a 25% off brunch deal brought another 50.

“We’ve been very happy with the results” explained marketing boss, Karen Wolfson.

Five-star hotels SO/Sotogrande and the Kempinski have used our database, while an exclusive room discount at DDG Retreat, near Estepona, got ‘even more bookings than the Times’.

On the Costa Blanca, a FIFA-accredited agent trusted us to promote an international football match in Murcia between Northern Ireland and Andorra. The response speaks volumes.

“It went really well and we saw a noticeable uptake soon after it went live,” he said. “We will definitely be using you guys again!”

When it comes to advertising your business in Spain there’s nowhere better than the Olive Press

Register your FREE account now for a chance to win two tickets to see Pete Tong by scanning the QR code below

MISSION: Skorzeny (left) and with Mussolini on rescue mission

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GREEN

Black flagged

ECOLOGISTS in Action has handed its unwanted black flags to 48 beaches across the Spanish coast.

‘Black flag’ status shames coastal resorts for pollution, over development, gentrification and poor management of wastewater.

The ‘award’ is given by the environmental group and this year’s list includes popular resorts like Estepona, Tarragona and Ibiza.

According to the NGO, the Canary Islands are one of the worst affected areas.

An annual report, the Black Flags denounced the ‘overtourism and urbanisation of our coastline’ as one of the ‘biggest problems’ Spain faces.

Of the 48 beaches named in the report, some 15 have been overdeveloped next to the sea. A further 16 had insufficient management of wastewater meaning the seawater was not clean.

Some six more had chemical or acoustic pollution, three had marine rubbish, three had suffered damage caused by industrial activities and four more had environmental damage. They also called out two hotels in Fuerteventura, which they claim were built in a protected area.

Speaking to the Olive Press, before the report was officially released, the environmental group defined the issue as a ‘chronic cancer.’

48 beaches named and shamed by environmentalists

By Yzabelle Bostyn

“We only choose 48 to not overwhelm the press and the people but there are hundreds of natural spaces that are being destroyed,” Cristobal Lopez, Ecologists in Action spokesman and Coordinator of the ‘Black Flags report’.

Lopez believes the Spanish coast has ‘several serious problems’ that are mainly caused by mass tourism and pollution generated by companies.

“Spain doubles its population

during the holiday period and consequently, there is an uncontrolled urban development that leads to the destruction of the coast. This aberration means that what once were natural areas become a set of hotels and summer homes”.

He added: “Water sanitation and filtering treatment services collapse because of the overpopulation and sewage flows directly into the sea.”

“And many companies also dump their waste, including chemicals, in the sea, but the fines they face are ridiculously low and there are many times they are not even enforced to pay them.”

Lopez identifies Andalucia, which has received 10 black flags, as one of the most environmentally destroyed regions in Spain, while Valencia has been given seven.

THE Iberian lynx is no longer classed as ‘endangered’ on the global red list of threatened spe cies after a two-de cade-long conserva tion effort across the peninsula. According to the lat est census figures, the lynx population on the Iberian pen insula has risen to 2,021 from a low of

F1 protests

HUNDREDS of protestors attempted to disrupt a Formula One roadshow in Barcelona on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the weekend’s F1 Spanish GP.

Tens of thousands of fans lined Passeig de Gracia, one of Barcelona’s most famous boulevards, to catch a glimpse of drivers including Carlos Sainz and Jack Doohan as they drove up and down the street as part of promotional activity for Sunday’s hotly-anticipated Grand Prix. The bustling thoroughfare was converted into a cauldron of noise as the blistering sound of the V6 Hybrid engines echoed around the city centre. However, on a nearby street, hundreds of protestors from a range of anti-tourist, environmentalist and left-wing groups gathered to rail against the roadshow.

Off the list

just 94 in 2002, with almost 86% of those found in Spain. The change in status, which means the Iberian lynx is now categorised as ‘vulnerable’, was announced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Put your money to work

6 Military entertainment (6)

8 Develop over time (6)

9 Grape residue (4)

10 Enthusiastic (8)

11 Son of Nun, who followed Moses (6)

13 Yertle the Turtle author (5)

15 Small flatfish (3)

17 Deadly (5)

18 Deed is done for dust devils (6)

20 The Rock (8)

22 Gibson’s “Bird on a Wire” co-star (4)

23 Sitcom, for instance (2,4)

24 Country (6)

1 They could still be out to get you, even if you’ve got this (8)

2 Something to scribble on (7)

3 Stout (5)

4 We sloped off as required near schools (3,5)

5 Tel ----Yafo (4)

7 Careful attention (1,1,1)

12 Annoying problem (8)

14 Nottinghamshire forest (8)

16 Chemist’s solvent (7)

19 Destroy by immersion (5)

21 Tax (4)

22 Traditional Monopoly token (3)

HAVE you ever considered how your investments can impact the environment and society? Sustainable investing offers a way to align your financial goals with your values.

This article dives into the world of sustainable funds, exploring what they are, how they work, and the different approaches you might encounter.

While we often focus on sustainable practices in our daily lives, there’s another area to consider: our investments.

This isn’t about your everyday spending, but rather the money you’re saving for the future. Many people invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds, and most banks offer a variety of options based on your preferences.

The concept of sustainable investing gained momentum after Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, highlighted its importance several years ago. Since then, the financial market has embraced this approach.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to sustainable funds. Definitions and approaches can vary depending on the fund manager and your personal priorities. Here are some key questions to consider:

FOCUS ON EXISTING VS. DEVELOPING

SUSTAINABILITY: Do you want to invest in companies that are already sustainable, or those transitioning towards sustainability?

GREEN INVESTMENTS:

The latter might need your investment to make the change, but verifying how those funds are used can be challenging.

DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY: What constitutes a sustainable company? The EU’s taxonomy even includes gas and nuclear power in this definition. Often, banks go further and have their own criteria.

EXCLUSION VS. THEMATIC FUNDS: Some funds exclude specific industries considered unsustainable, like fossil fuels. Thematic funds, on the other hand, focus on a particular aspect of sustainability, like environmental solutions, social responsibility, or good governance.

A recent Morgan Stanley study revealed investor priorities in sustainable investing. Climate action topped the list (15%), followed by healthcare (13%). Water solutions, circular economy, nature & biodiversity, and education were also important considerations.

The EU’s sustainability reporting standards aim to minimize ‘greenwashing,’ where companies exaggerate their sustainability efforts. This transparency will be beneficial for investors.

It can be difficult to definitively say if your investment directly translates into positive change. However, by choosing sustainable

There are lots of opportunities funds, you contribute to the growing demand for sustainable practices. Companies that don’t prioritize sustainability risk being excluded from the capital market, driving positive change across the board.

Ultimately, sustainable investing offers a way to make your money work towards a more sustainable future, even if the impact may not be directly measurable.

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

in her fairytale Princess

Expat undertakes her childhood dream to build a wooden refuge, now a mustvisit retreat featured on British TV

By Yzabelle Bostyn

WHEN Elizabeth Wynn was a little girl, she imagined ‘living in a magical land, in a wooden house, surrounded by nature, being creative, dreaming and painting.’

But it wasn’t until she ‘lost everything’ 10 years ago, finding herself homeless, that she was finally able to make her dream a reality.

Finally finding herself a job, she scraped enough money together to start building her own ‘refuge’.

Along the way she learned ‘determination’ and ‘healing’ as well as how to sand, saw, nail and drill. She sought out second hand materials

grafted often 14 hour days in the Spanish sun to craft her casa.

“Through building the house, I built myself again,” she told the Olive Press. “I am the princess in my own fairytale.”

including wood and an old van chassis and Now, she lives in a nearby farmhouse and is offering her original Little Wooden House, as a refuge to others. Nestled among olive trees on an organic fruit and nut farm, it could be mistaken for a Mediterranean gingerbread house.

Part of Eden Whispers Art Farm, the house is just outside Monda, inland from Marbella.

A peaceful, tranquil getaway, the project was recently featured on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces on Channel 4, in England.

rage living room.

“There’s been an enormous amount of love and passion put into this project. This is small space perfection.

The Little Wooden House has inspired its visitors, some saying ‘it brought their creativity back’

During a 2019 episode, Clarke marvelled at the 5 x 2.5 metre space, half the size of the ave -

“It’s self-built, full of bespoke innovations and a total life changer for the person who made it.”

The Little Wooden House has similarly inspired its visitors, some saying ‘it brought their creativity back’ and they ‘felt so snug cocooned in the bed at night surrounded by myriad fruit trees and the night air.’

“I am so happy it has become a place of peace and restoration,” said Elizabeth.

“It gives people space and time to reconnect with themselves and nature and remind them of just how wonderful they are.”

SMALL BUT BEAUTIFUL: The tiny house has been featured on George Clarkes’s (pictured with Elizabeth) Amazing Spaces

HIDDEN: Nestled in the Monda countryside, the Little Wooden House is a true escape

Robbie on display

POP star Robbie Williams visited Barcelona last week for the launch of his very own art exhibition called Pride and self prejudice that’s been inspired by his mental health struggles.

The city’s Modern Contemporary Museum (MOCO) is displaying 17 large-format paintings created digitally on an iPad, in the style of David Hockney’s latest works.

MOCO director, Kim Logchies, said: I have seen more than 5,000 of his works and I can assure you that he has a new voice and a completely different prism in the art world.”

LA CULTURA

November 29thDecember 12th 2023

LOST WORLD

Stunning find in Spain has archeologists excited: 2,400 year old tablet could provide glimpse into the secrets of an ancient lost civilisation

A RECENTLY unearthed tablet from 2,400 years ago could be about to re-write ancient history.

Pre-dating the famous Rosetta Stone by 400 years, the discovery could be evidence of a previously unknown written language used by the lost Tartessian civilization.

The artefact, which was unearthed at the Casas del Turuñuelo dig site in Badajoz, appears to be inscribed with an alphabetic sequence

OP Puzzle solutions

Quick Crossword

Across: 6 Tattoo, 8 Evolve, 9 Marc, 10 Effusive, 11 Joshua, 13 Seuss, 15 Dab, 17 Fatal, 18 Eddies, 20 Alcatraz, 22 Hawn, 23 TV show, 24 Nation.

Down: 1 Paranoia, 2 Notepad, 3 Beefy, 4 Low speed, 5 Aviv, 7 T L C, 12 Headache, 14 Sherwood, 16 Benzene, 19 Drown, 21 Levy, 22 Hat.

By Walter Finch

of 21 signs. If confirmed, it would indicate the presence of a sophisticated and literate society in pre-Roman Iberia.

The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) believes the tablet may be a practice slate used by artisans to hone their skills before engraving on more permanent materials.

The inscription features re-

peated illustrations of faces, geometric shapes, and warriors in combat.

Researchers are particularly interested in the tablet's alphabetic symbols.

While some signs resemble known southern Paleo-Hispanic dialects, others are entirely new.

University of Barcelona researcher Joan Ferrer i Jane believes the tablet ‘could reach 32 signs if complete.’ It would potentially represent a brand new sister language to the existing southern Paleo-Hispanic family.

The find is crucial for histo-

INCREDIBLE: The ‘sketches’ on the tablet

rians and archaeologists as it fills a gap in understanding the transition between ancient Iberian scripts and the later fully developed writing systems of the Roman era.

Wealth

The Tartessian culture, known for its wealth and sophistication, flourished from the 9th to 6th centuries BC in what is now Andalucia.

Their mysterious disappearance has long been a source of fascination, with some attributing it to earthquakes or tsunamis.

No influence

A so-called ‘influencer’ found she had no influence whatsoever when security refused to let her into Sevilla cathedral. The Argentinean named Gigi was told to go-go when she turned up at the holy site wearing a skimpy bikini-style top and covered with tattoos and piercings.

“They told me that I couldn’t go in like that, that I needed to cover up,” she explained in an online video, still wearing the small black top that had not met the approval of the staff. As she pointed out, however, the temperature in Seville was 39ºC, and what’s more, she saw another girl with a similar outfit but with no tattoos allowed to enter.

According to a TikTok commentator called Ruben, they didn’t let the influencer in ‘because she might get stuck on the magnet they have at the door’.

Experts in hand-painting bespoke cabinetry from kitchen to bathrooms and transforming existing furniture with beautiful new finishes and colours. MANY REFERENCES.

Abortion law backed Skin cancer on the up

SPAIN’S Constitutional Court has backed a reform to the country’s abortion law that was passed last year, which allows 16 and 17-year-olds to terminate their pregnancies without parental permission.

Sources from the top court have said that a majority of judges have rejected an appeal against the legislation, which was filed by the far-right Vox party.

There is a majority of progressive judges in the court currently, and their sentence has been drafted by one of these magistrates, Laura Diez, who argues in her text that the law is constitutional.

Four conservative judges, meanwhile, voted against the decision.

As well as the age change for seeking terminations without parental permission, it also forces regional governments to ensure that public healthcare resources are available for abortion procedures. Prior to the passing of the law, more than 80% of terminations were carried out in private clinics.

EXPERTS have warned about a significant rise in skin cancer cases, but many people are treated successfully as it is detected early.

The Hospital Universitario Virgen de Victoria in Malaga says 150 melanomas were diagnosed last year at its facilities.

Hospital head and dermatology specialist, Enrique Herrera, said: “The incidence of skin cancer has multiplied 15 times in the last 50 years due to the lack of awareness of this disease and not enough prevention when exposed to the sun.

“Although the sun is life, it is important to protect ourselves and do things correctly since taking precautions is still the best way to avoid skin tumours”, he added.

Last year the Spanish Academy of Dermatology said skin cancer cases had risen by 40% over four years, but survival rates are around 90% due to earlier diagnosis.

Best and worst

Valencia and

Andalucia

named two worst regions for healthcare

SPAIN'S best regions for public health services have been named in an annual report from campaigners for high quality health provision.

The Federation of Associations for the Defence of Public Health (FADSP) gave the Valencian Community and Andalucia the lowest scores, while Navarre, the Basque Country, and Asturias came out on top.

The 20th FADSP report said the country's National Health System ‘has worsened’ in recent years.

The study aims to work out the differences between the health services of the country’s 17 regions based on the latest available data and on the same level, which FADSP says is difficult due to a ‘lack of transparency’ and figures not being updated.

Assessments are carried out by looking at financing; resources and operations such as per head expenditure: the number of beds per 1,000 residents; operating theatre numbers;

By Alex Trelinski

and doctor and nurse totals.

Other things taken into account include pharmaceutical spending; patient appreciation; waiting lists; and health privatisation.

The maximum possible score in the study is 142 and the minimum score is 33, with an average obtained of 85.4.

The regions with the best ratings are: Navarre (106), the Basque Country (105), Asturias (100) and Castilla y Leon (95).

The lowest numbers are Catalunya (80), the Canary Islands (79), Castilla-La Mancha (79), Madrid (79), Murcia (78), the Balearic Islands (77), Andalucia (66) and Valencia propping up the bottom(62).

In recent years, there has been little change as to which areas do well and which ones flounder in comparison.

FADSP spokesperson, Dr. Marciano Provencio, said: “The difference between differ-

ent regions is clearly excessive and it shows a great disparity in health services, which far from falling has gone up.”

“This continues to jeopardise a much-needed cohesion and equity between the regions.” he added.

Over the vexed issue of waiting lists to see a specialist consultant, the longest delay is in the Canary Islands (149 days).

They are followed by Andalucia (143 days), Navarre (114 days), Murcia (110 days), Aragon and Extremadura (106 days).

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

European Medicines Agency begins review of Nolotil, the painkiller blamed in Spain for dozens of expat deaths, writes Simon Hunter

THE European Medicines Agency (EMA) has begun a process to review the safety of Nolotil, a painkiller which has been blamed for dozens of expat deaths.

“EMA has started a review of medicines containing the painkiller metamizole (the generic name of Nolotil) following concerns that the measures in place to minimise the known risk of agranulocytosis may not be effective enough,” an agency spokesperson said.

Agranulocytosis is a known side effect of medicines that contain metamizol, and involves a sudden and sharp decrease in a type of white blood cell. The condition can lead to serious infections, which can be fatal.

The drug is known to have potentially deadly side effects for Northern Europeans.

prescribed Nolotil in Spain.

Yvonne Flowers had been living in Spain for 23 years when she suffered an accident, and was prescribed Nolotil while in hospital and later died. Her family successfully sued the Hospital Clinica Benidorm for negligence and received a payout of more than €400,000.

In December of last year, a 42-year-old father from the UK died in Alicante after he took Nolotil for a shoulder injury.

As well as the Olive Press, the Association of Drug Affected Patients (ADAF) has also been campaigning for greater restrictions on the drug.

The Olive Press is currently running a campaign to ensure that Nolotil is only given on short-term prescriptions and should not be prescribed to North European patients, nor anyone from the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

We have collected the testimony of a series of families who lost loved ones after they were

Expats

The ADAF, which was founded by campaigner Cristina del Campo, believes that Nolotil is responsible for at least 47 deaths, 37 of which involved British and Irish expats in Spain.

The review by the EMA was started after a request by the Finnish medicines agency.

Once the committee responsible for the evaluation of safety issues for human medicines completes its research, it will make a set of recommendations.

Recognising that there is an issue is the first step on the road to recovery.

Toothy visitor

A BEACH in the Canary Islands was evacuated and the red flag raised after a two-metre shark swam right up to the shore.

Sun seekers

PEOPLE on Spain’s generous state benefits have been warned not to swan off on holidays longer than 15 days this summer as they ‘have no right to enjoy holidays.’

Fan-atics

MALAGA FC fans went so nuts after their team won promotion they packed the airport at 5am to welcome the players and even forced the town hall to shut down parts of the city centre.

Aged like fine wine

Archaeologists discover 2,000-yearold vintage in Roman tomb

IF you like a finely aged wine, forget about the famed €5,000 a bottle Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2004, which reached a peak of excellence for the Bordeaux vineyard - it is a mere stripling. Instead, head down to Car-

One life gone

By Alex Trelinski

mona in Sevilla province where archaeologists have discovered a vintage that is an incredible 2,000 years old. They found what is thought to

DOUBLING UP

be the oldest wine still in liquid form in a glass urn while investigating a Roman tomb. But anyone tempted to sample the vino to see how it has aged over two millennia should be aware of a grisly secret. Also in the urn are the cre-

A FEMALE kitten used up one of its nine lives after surviving a 200 kilometre journey trapped in a car engine.

The vehicle was travelling southbound from Barcelona on the AP-7 motorway when it stopped at a service area at Benicarlo in Castellon province. After parking up, the passengers were convinced they heard the meows of a cat coming from somewhere in the car.

A Guardia Civil patrol looked around the car before discovering the little kitten caught in the engine area.

mated remains of a person, submerged in the wine.

Carmona town Council and the University of Cordoba say both the wine and remains have been preserved since

the first century AD.

Organic chemists at the University of Cordoba have identified it as the oldest liquid wine discovered to date, thus replacing the Speyer wine bottle, dated to the fourth century AD, found in 1867 and preserved in Pfalz museum in Germany. Despite the 2,000 years, the condition of the tomb was excellent and well-sealed, making it easier for the wine to maintain its natural state.

Chemists studied the pH, the absence of organic matter, mineral salts, and the presence of certain chemical compounds, which were compared to current wines made by Montilla-Moriles, Jerez and Sanlucar.

A MARBELLA clinic has become the first in Spain to offer pet cloning where a genetic copy of a cat or dog can be made for around €55,000.

A breakthrough in animal cloning happened in 1996 with Dolly the sheep being cloned from an adult cell by scientists at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. Since then, animal cloning has become widespread, especially in species of high economic value such as camels and horses, where cloning costs can reach €75,000.

Cloning an animal involves replicating its genetics by extracting a sample of DNA from the animal’s skin tissue. The extracted cells are cultured and their nucleus is inserted into an egg of the same species, previously enucleated. This embryo, which contains 99.9% of the genetic material of the original animal, is then implanted in a female for gestation.

The Grupo OVO clinic, run by embryologist Enrique Criado, has performed five dog clones for Spanish clients and hopes to expand its market to neighbouring countries such as France and Portugal.

Cloning a dog costs around €55,000, while a cat comes in €5,000 cheaper.